Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Probable Pitchers |
| Syracuse | ALL-STAR BREAK | ALL-STAR BREAK | N/A |
| Harrisburg | Won, 3-2 (10 inn.) | vs. New Britain, 7:00 p.m. |
Ray (2-0, 0.64) vs. Dean (5-8, 4.34) |
| Potomac | Won, 9-4 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Hagerstown | Won, 7-3 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| Auburn | Lost, 7-4 | OFF DAY | N/A |
| GCL Nationals | Lost, 6-3 | @ GCL Cardinals, 12:00 p.m. |
TBD vs. TBD |
| DSL Nationals | Lost, 5-3 | vs. DSL Rojos, 10:30 a.m. |
Reyes (2-1, 2.28) vs. |
Syracuse — ALL-STAR BREAK
Unlike years past, the news is light from upstate New York at the break. Zach Walters is the sole AAA All-Star game representative for Syracuse, and the Wyoming native plans to take advantage of the Reno, Nevada locale for a de facto family reunion, writes Lindsay Kramer of the Syracuse Post-Standard.
Harrisburg 3 New Britain 2 (10 inn.)
• Treinen 5IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 2K, HR
• Swynenberg 2IP, H, 0R, BB, 4K, WP
• Herron (W, 4-1) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, K
• Rivero 1-4, 2B, RBI
• Van Ostrand 2-4, 2R, 2HR, 2RBI
Jimmy Van Ostrand’s solo shot in the 10th, his second of the game, ended the game in extras as the Senators edged the Rock Cats, 3-2. Blake Treinen got the start, giving up both New Britain runs on six hits and four walks while setting down two on strikes over five innings. Matt Swynenberg, Aaron Barrett, and Tyler Herron combined for five innings of scoreless relief, with Herron getting the win for pitching the 10th. Harrisburg was held to four hits, with Carlos Rivero’s RBI double accounting for the other Senators run.
Roster move: RHP Blake Treinen activated from the 7-Day DL.
Potomac 9 Salem 4
• Solis 4IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 2K
• Mirowski (W, 8-3) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 3K
• Taylor 3-5, 2R, 2B, 4RBI, SB
• Oduber 2-5, 2-2B, R
• Soriano 2-3, 2R, 2B, 3B, 2BB, RBI
Sammy Solis’s return to the P-Nats rotation helped end a four-game slide with a 9-4 victory over Salem. Solis allowed one hit and one walk over four shutout innings, striking out two in his first High-A start since June 6. Richie Mirowski got his team-leading eighth win with two scoreless innings of relief as the first man out of the ‘pen. Michael Taylor went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored and four runs batted in to lead the Potomac offense exploded for 14 hits, including seven doubles and a triple.
Roster moves: LHP Sammy Solis activated from the 7-Day DL; RHP Colin Bates placed on the 7-Day DL.
Rome 3 Hagerstown 1
• Dickson (L, 0-2) 5IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K, HR
• Pena 3IP, 2H, 0R, BB, K
• Lippincott 2-4
• Norfork 1-3, BB, RBI
Khayyan Norfork’s RBI single in the 3rd was not enough for Hagerstown as Rome scored three unanswered runs for a 3-1 win and a 2-2 series split. Starter Ian Dickson took the loss, his second, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three. Bryan Lippincott was the sole Sun with multiple hits as the three Braves pitchers held Hagerstown to just six safeties overall.
Staten Island 7 Auburn 4
• Barrientos (L, 0-3) 4⅔ IP, 6H, 4R, 2ER, 3BB, 2K, HR
• Hollins 1IP, 1H, 0R, BB, 0K, 3-0 IR-S
• Yezzo 2-5, 2R
• Gunter 2-4, R
After rallying to within one with a three-run 6th, the Doubledays gave it away with a three-run 8th as the Statem Island Yankees completed the sweep with a 7-4 win over Auburn. Starter Joel Barrientos lost for the third time in four starts, giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out two. Seven batters hit safely, with James Yezzo, Cody Gunter, and Andruth Ramirez each singling twice as the Doubledays totaled 10 hits but left on 10 baserunners.
GCL Cardinals 6 GCL Nationals 3
• Giolito 3IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 3K
• K. Rodriguez 3IP, H, 0R, ER, BB, K
• D. Ramos (BS, 2; L, 2-2) 5BF, 4H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 0K, 0HR
• Mejia 2-4, 2RBI, SB
• Marmolejos-Diaz 2-3, BB, CS
David Ramos failed to retire any of the five batters he faced in the 7th, as all five came around to score in a 6-3 G-Nats loss to the G-Cards. Lucas Giolito made his third GCL start, tossing three scoreless with three hits allowed, one walk given up, and three strikeouts. Bryan Mejia went 2-for-4 with two RBI to extend his hit streak to 10 games as the G-Nats pounded out 10 hits and stole five bases for the game.
DSL Cubs 5 DSL Nationals 3
• Valerio 5IP, 2H, 0R, 5BB, 4K, 2 pickoffs
• A. Ramirez 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, K, 1-0 IR-S
• Aguero 4-5
• Corredor 2-3, BB, RBI
Despite outhitting the Cubs 12-5 and gunning down five of seven would-be base thieves, the D-Nats lost to the D-Cubs, 5-3. The ten walks issued by D-Nats pitchers, five by starter Maximo Valerio, of course didn’t help. Nor did the two-run HR surrendered by losing pitcher Jonathan Aquino. “Fred” Aguero went 4-for-5 to lead the D-Nats offense, followed by Aldrem Corredor who reached base three times with a pair of singles and a walk.
The Latin starter for Rime has some seriious
Gas in his arm. His mechanics reminded me of
Alejandro Pena with the way his arm whipped the ball
At home plate
Franco and Marte two nice talents at 3 b and RF
For Rome
Yes, Lippencott had two liners up the middle
For hits
Had Giolito not been injured, where do you think he’d have started? GCL or Auburn? GCL seems like the more logical fit, as that’s typically where high schoolers start, but it’s my understanding that Giolito was a bit more polished than most high schoolers, even other first rounders.
With that said, most of these guys pitch 20 or so innings before getting promoted the next season. Since Giolito’s experience is a bit different, do you think he’ll get promoted in August to Auburn? Or will they be extra cautious and just promote him to Hagerstown to start 2014?
Had Giolito not been injured, the Nats wouldn’t have been able to draft him at #16. It’s tough to call because the previous top HS arms signed under the current regime were inked under the previous CBA, when the deadline was mid-August. Ray and Cole both pitched a single inning for Auburn in 2010, then began 2011 in Hagerstown. Even if Giolito had been healthy, and held out to mid-July deadline, I tend to think he would have spent at least a couple of weeks in the GCL.
Re: Auburn… Brian Oliver suggested the same thing to me on Twitter. I (far) less-than-half-jokingly suggested that the answer may lie in the schedule, i.e. when will the Doubledays be on the road? If that sounds conspiratorial or cynical, then look more closely at when and where Matt Purke has pitched. Thus, far just once on a weekend night at home. Ever. Walks like a duck… talks like a duck…
If Giolito does get the call, I’d expect the same kind of treatment, which is being put in an environment with the least possible scrutiny. As a fan, I’d love to be wrong about that and have him pitch where some objective eyes can see him (versus what coaches are telling a reporter) but given that he has been hurt, and the Nats have been cautious, I’m not holding my breath.
Thanks for the thorough response.
What is the rationale behind shielding these guys from scrutiny? It seems like they did the opposite with Strasburg and Harper. Heck, they’re still being highlighted on the various affiliates’ websites.
Is it that they want to keep opposing scouts unaware to maintain value? Otherwise, it seems like a way to spite the fans. It’s easy enough to refuse interviews and avoid media buzz. Honestly, how many more people are going to turn up to see someone like Matt Purke or Lucas Giolito in Auburn, NY or Hagerstown? Certainly it’s under 50, and most of whom would be very supportive (not the types to ride Purke for control issues).
Well, no, actually — they were very careful to keep Strasburg away from Virginia and Maryland in 2010 and field issues aside skipping Potomac in 2011 kept Harper away from the DC area, too.
I’m not sure why some prospects are treated this way and others aren’t. Rendon had an injury history like Purke’s and wasn’t shielded, for example. Otherwise, you’re preaching to the choir.